


neon lovers

by lynndevine



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Pole Dancing, Possible smut, Strip Tease, Strippers & Strip Clubs, Stripping, Underage Drinking, oh!, really hyped about this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2019-10-24 06:09:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17699096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lynndevine/pseuds/lynndevine
Summary: Odessa knew Reggie Mantle long before she met him and Reggie Mantle had never been her problem.At least, not until their paths crossed.Now, Odessa can't seem to figure out what so special about the boy that has the right to flip her world on its head.





	1. a beginning

Odessa knew the name “Reggie Mantle” before she even met him.

 

It was a name often uttered with many choice words and long strings of family curses- regardless of context. Reginald Mantle was a topic of hatred at the White Wyrm, for both young and old Serpents. He funded Ghoulie operations with jingle-jangle purchases, occasionally crossed into unwelcoming territories, ratted out Serpents to the police, and started fights left and right. 

 

Odessa didn’t need to be told twice that the boy was a problem- he just wasn’t hers. Despite the rousing excursions to the Southside, the boy never ventured deep enough south for them to even remotely cross paths.

 

So when Sweet Pea, Fangs Fogarty, and Toni Topaz rolled into the White Wyrm on a late Wednesday night, arguing loudly about the Northside Prince, Odessa just rolled her eyes with amusement.

 

“Sweet Pea, you will not.” Toni said crossly as she hopped up on a stool. “I swear to God I’ll tell your aunt.”

 

“He and Andrews both need to be taught a lesson!” Sweet Pea shot back, hotly. “Fogarty, you agree with me, right?”

 

“Of course I do,” Fangs agreed, nodding his head.

 

“Of course you do,” Toni sighed. “Guys, Jones said he’d handle it, so he’ll handle it. Leave it alone already. Hi Odessa.”

 

Odessa smiled at Toni as she placed coasters down at the bar. “Hey Topaz.”

 

Toni Topaz and Odessa Smith had known each other since preschool, an altercation in the sandbox landed them both in the principal’s office which led them to become fast friends. Sweet Pea followed shortly after with Fangs Fogarty in tow in grade school with violent game of tag and a forced apology. Come high school, all three of Odessa’s friends had pledged their lives to the Serpent cause, Fangs being the latest to follow the trend.

 

Odessa’s father had made sure that she was only a Serpent in the most honorary of terms and that was good enough for her. She was revered enough as ‘Joseph’s kid’ on a daily basis, her father’s memory would only haunt her more should she join.

 

The three delinquents continued their bickering when she slid them their usuals across the counter top.

 

“Odessa will agree with me!” Sweet Pea proclaimed. “C’mon Odessa, you know I’m right.”

 

“Right about what now?”

 

Three faces of disbelief stared back at her. “I had to miss school again,” she explained as she grabbed sitting glasses from the end of the bar, trying to avoid the oncoming sudden sympathetic shift in their faces. “My mom wasn’t doing to so good today.”

 

“Want to talk about it?” Fangs offered as she returned, his forehead creased with worry.

 

“Nah, it’s fine Fangs, really.” Odessa smiled tightly at her friend. “Just fill me in.”

 

And the night went on as it normally should; sarcastic banter filling the air, Sweet Pea and Fangs picked up a game of pool with a few older Serpents, Toni kept Odessa company as she delivered orders and cleared tables. The constant motions washed away the heavy clouds from Odessa’s mind and any thought of her mother and father along with them.

 

It was only four beers later and two winning games of pool when Sweet Pea brought up the great debate of the “Red Circle” for a second time, only this time it was coming out of the mouth a drunk sixteen year old with a kindergarten mentality.

 

“DEZZZAAAA! CIRCLEZZ? What kind of gang’s spirit animal is a CIRCLE?!” Sweet Pea bellowed, slamming down his empty bottle. “I mean- WHY? AM I SUPPOSED TO BE SCARED OF- OF- MATH?”

 

Toni’s head was rested on the bar, gently rubbing her temples. 

 

“Odessa,” her voice barely a whisper, “subdue him please. Cut him off. Something, anything to stop his yelling.”

 

Odessa chuckled as she handed Toni and Fangs glasses of water and swiped Sweet Pea’s bottle from his lack grip.

 

“No fair, Dessa,” he pouted.

 

“Sorry Sweets, rules are rules. You drink more than four beers on a school night and your aunt is going to have my head.”

 

“I’m not drunk!” Sweet Pea protested in vain his attempts to remain upright were not proving successful.

 

“Shit, he’s going down.” Fangs muttered, steadying his friend. “Toni, some assistance?”

 

“On it.”

 

“You guys come on your bikes?” Odessa asked, as she returned with the last empty round of 

glasses.

 

“Yep,” sighed Toni. “Fangs, it’s your turn to bring him back.”

 

“Absolutely not. My mama finds out I was riding with a drunk Pea she’s gonna come after me.”

 

“I got him,” Odessa piped up. “I have to go back home to change for work anyway.”

 

“Bless you woman.” Fangs praised, draining the rest of his beer.

 

Toni raised an eyebrow at Odessa. “You sure?”

 

“Hog Eye said I could close up early. No sweat.”

 

“Alright girl,” Toni allowed. “But we’ll put him in the truck for you.”

 

Fangs groaned in protest but Toni’s glare shut him up. “Thank you,” Odessa laughed.

 

“Anytime. C’mon Fangs, let’s get a headstart.”

 

Odessa shook her head as the two smaller delinquents struggled to wrestle their friend out the door. After straightening out pool racks, Odessa did a final check up, shut off the lights, and locked up.

 

Fangs and Toni had managed to set Sweet Pea in the back of Odessa’s truck, who was snoring softly with his head resting against the side. Fangs pulled Odessa into a bone-crushing hug, whispering softly in her ear that he would drop off dinner later. They bid farewell,  motorcycles revving in competition with the roar of the truck as they left the parking lot.

 

~

 

Sneaking Sweet Pea into his trailer was a piece of cake. His aunt normally fell asleep watching crap reality tv around midnight and wouldn’t wake up until the early hours of the morning. The front door was never locked but should the occasion arise, a key was hidden underneath the broken garden gnome. Without assistance, it seemed near impossible that a five foot teenage girl in six-inch heels could guide an unconscious giant across the trailer park and up a set of stairs, but it was an heist that Odessa had perfected overtime.

 

After getting through the front door and navigating past slumbering Aunt Myrtle, Odessa set Sweet Pea down on the small single mattress. She wrestled his boots off and stripped him of his jacket and some violent articles, tossing it all aside onto the growing pile of laundry in the corner. The final step was a bit complicated, the goal being to anchor Sweet Pea on his side so he wouldn’t choke and die, but after a few attempts, the man-child was safe and secure.

 

Bidding a silent goodnight, Odessa crept carefully out of the house and closed the door behind her. Checking the cracked screen of the first generation, hand-me-down phone, the digital glow told her it was fifteen minutes to eleven o’clock.

 

“ _ Well shit _ ,” she thought and wasting no time, raced back to her trailer to grab her work bag.

 

~

 

Being late to work was not an option for Odessa. Being late meant taking the final dance shift  _ and _ clean up. Being late meant sleeping through first and second period the next day. Being late meant that Odessa would gain another detention for the semester. Being late meant trying to make up a Wyrm shift on the weekend. Being late meant losing a shift at the Den. 

 

Being late was not lost time, it was lost cash.

 

“ _ A warm-up will not happen in such conditions- hair & makeup can be done before I go on and touched up as the night progresses. Which means dressing, _ ” Odessa listed in her head, “ _ will have to start right now. _ ”

 

Odessa peeled out of the trailer park, tearing open the zipper to the stained and glittery bag she had found at a Northside garage sale. She flicked her headlights on and then proceeded to strip. 

 

The leggings came off, the fishnets shimmied on,  _ thank to fuck _ that she decided to wear the lacy black thong to work,  _ shit shit shit watch the curb watch the curb christ _ , top off,  _ cover the tits but keep a hand on the wheel ah fuck it _ , lace bra wriggled on,  _ bless it matches _ , garters…  _ fuck where are the garters god damn it… OH SHIT! sorry, sorry, didn’t mean to, please stop honking, thank you _ , heels stay in the bag and… top back on!

 

The dashboard read 10:56 by the time Odessa pulled into the Den staff parking lot but she knew she had made it. Shoving her clothes into the bag, Odessa ran to the underground entrance shoeless and closed the door behind her.

 

“ _ Thank you Lord _ ,” she thanked tiredly as she entered the main dressing room.

 

But someone voiced their opinion of discontent to halt Odessa’s mental celebration.

 

“Girl, you’re late.”

 

Mallory, or known more commonly at the Den as  _ Cece Celestial _ , gave Odessa a long look. “Maybe I should tell Charlie-”

 

“10:56. Four minutes and I am all dressed up and ready for the close up from our ever distinguished clientele.” Odessa cut her off, taking a grand bow to top it off.

 

“You going on with that face? Cause if so, you’ve gone blind.” Mallory laughed and linked arms with Odessa. “Let’s help you see.”

 

Odessa applied her makeup while Mallory wrestled with her hair, the two chatting absentmindedly about the weather and the new hunk of a bouncer, James. Mallory was always good at distracting Odessa from the looming task ahead, not to mention her edge work was something to drool over.

 

After only a few minutes, a million bobby pins, a can of hairspray, and some glitter, a rush of dancers entered from the stage door, filling up the small dressing room to maximum capacity. A shout resounded from the crowded entrance to signal the next group up.

 

“FATE, JADE, DESTINY TO STAGE. FATE, JADE, AND DESTINY PRONTO.”

 

“That’s you, darling. Up you go!”

 

“Wish me luck!”

 

“Luck!”

 

Odessa laughed as she threw her t-shirt on her table, slipped into her heels, and made her way over to Charlie. 

 

Charlie was not just the stage manager but the very mechanics of the Den: schedules and the weekly take were always hand-delivered every Sunday afternoon. Rehearsal schedules, choreography lists and lineups, any changes that would affect the Den, Charlie would have the answers.

 

Amongst all the dancers in their show heels, he didn’t seem that tall, but Odessa knew that he was easily six foot. With lean muscles, perfect eyeshadow, dimples, and just a simple black tee, he looked like he belonged on stage with the rest of them. There was a pool of money between dancers, bartenders, and bouncers to convince Charlie to perform a strip tease for one night as a treat for not only them but all of Riverdale. Respectfully, Charlie had declined all advances.

 

“Hey Charlie,” Odessa drawled, bumping him on the hip. “What’s cookin’, good-lookin’?”

 

“Dez, wow, you look fantastic.” Charlie grinned back, sporting those award-winning dimples. “You ready to shake the money maker?”

 

“All over it.” Odessa replied with a grin of her own.

 

“C’mon, Destiny, today, flirt later please.” Samantha, or rather Jade, flitted past with Charlotte “Fate” Sanders in tow. 

 

“Gotta blast, shake the money maker and all that jazz.” Odessa said to Charlie.

 

“You’ll do wonderful, now go on… wait… ok, now.”

 

As Odessa hurried to her place, Jade and Fate had already taken their spots next to the central pole, their glittery black garters still glistening in the blackout on the main stage. Odessa could already here the whistles and cheers as she took her place behind the silver streaming backdrop that had been flown in during the small break. She took a deep breath to clear her mind as the beat began.

 

_ Yayo, yayo _

 

Lights behind Odessa flourished in a purple haze, spotlights snapped on the striking poses of Jade and Fate, and were gone as quickly as they came.

 

_ Moo-la-lah _

 

The enhanced bass beat remained constant in Odessa’s veins as she stepped out of the shimmer curtain to stalk her way to the center of the stage, where her own act was waiting.

 

_ Yayo _

 

“ _ Wind up… and spotlight. _ ” Odessa drilled in her head as she grabbed the steel pole, fully lit up.

 

_ Bitch better have my money! Y’all should know me well enough _

 

Dropping down on to grind on the pole, Odessa took a quick look at the crowd gathering around the mainstage. Mostly men in their late 20s or early 30s but she did spot a bachelorette party in the back. The Den wasn’t one to boast diverse crowds, they were an underground operation in the pits of “perfect” Riverdale. But since the impending end of the summer season was drawing close, they had seen an influx in attendees, which only made the dancers work harder. Most only worked in the summer so scrapping up any extra cash was a plus but Odessa couldn’t be a blow-in. Every performance was a grind- there would be no slip ups. In all her hard work though, Odessa had managed to climb up high enough to be apart of the most lucrative of acts, making her an in-house favorite.

 

But, it wasn’t about being desired that kept Odessa dancing, it was the promise of a fair and respectable take.

 

Locking eyes with a particular handsome boy in the front, Odessa rewarded him with a smile as she stood back up, preparing to lift herself.

 

_ Bitch better have my money! Please don’t call me on my bluff _

 

Pulling up high into the air, Odessa began to “walk” around. 

 

Dollar bills began to fall from on high and from the audience as Jade and Fate joined Odessa on their opposing poles. The take was always fair- fifty percent to the club, the other fifty to the dancer. Performances like this one was a twenty-five split. For as long as Odessa had been dancing with the Den, she never saw money randomly disappear. The Den was a support system in itself, it took care of its dancers and staff with the utmost respect. Anyone who disobeyed house rules was shown the door- no questions asked.

 

Odessa began to climb higher and higher as the song continued.

 

_ Pay me what you owe me, ballin’ bigger than LeBron _

 

Maneuvering around the bar, to present a classic eye opener, the crowd gave a loud roar as the girls became instantly in sync.

 

_ Bitch give me your money! Who y’all think y’all frontin’ on? _

 

And it wasn’t like the pole dancing and the stripping bothered Odessa, it did at first. But the medical bills were to expensive, the Wyrm tips were barely covering the electric bills, and Odessa was on her own. With a manic mother and a dead father, there was only so much she could be. And if the Den was the answer, then it was her salvation.

 

Odessa flip herself upside down, flush to the cool pole, facing the stage floor, and took a deep breath.

 

_ Like brrap, brrap, brrap! _

 

With after the fiery shot, Odessa followed Jade’s nosebreak, Fate close behind. Smoothly exiting before they ate the ground, they were on the floor, grinding on the dollar carpet, fists banging along with the beat.

 

_ Louis XIII and it’s all on me, nigger you just bought a shot _

 

Standing up, Odessa fan kicked around her pole to kill time while Jade and Fate made their way over to her in the center.

 

_ Kamikaze if you think that you gon’ knock me off the top, shit _

 

Dropping down simultaneously and popping back up, the girls had formed a line to execute the next line of choreography.

 

_ Your wife in the backseat of my brand new foreign car, don’t act like you forgot _

_ I call the shots, shots, shots _

_ Like brrap, brrap, brrap! _

_ Pay me what you owe me, don’t act like you forgot _

_ Bitch better have my money! _

 

Separating from each other, each girl took their section of the stage to engage the audience- or in the words of Charlie, shake the money maker.

 

Odessa turned around to get down real low, her ass in the direct eye view of the boy from earlier. Just before the chorus reached it’s last two lines, Odessa saw his reaching hand in the corner of her eye.

 

She turned around sharply and gently batted the intrusion away with the stiletto of her heel, making direct eye contact with a sultry smile. Flashing a wink, she flexed her leg upwards to recover and made her way back to her pole.

 

_ Turn up to Rihanna while the whole club fucking wasted _

_ Every time I drive by, I’m the only thing you playin’ _

 

Completing the lift, Odessa saw two security guys make their way through the crowd to the poor, baffled fellow. She let out a huff of pity on her descent, gliding around effortlessly, looking like she didn’t have a care in the world.

 

_ In a drop top, doin’ hundred, y’all in my rearview mirror racin’ _

_ Where y’all at? Where y’all at? Where y’all at? _

 

Landing on her feet, Odessa took her shots at the audience and they relatilated with their own ammo of dollar bills and loose change. The muscle men were preparing the descend on boy, who was wasting his energy glaring at her.

 

_ Like brrap, brrap, braap! _

_ Pay me what you owe me, don’t act like you forgot _

 

Odessa strutted forward, Fate and Jade flanking, as the men grabbed the kid’s shoulders. His yelp of surprise was drowned out as the chorus continued on its last legs, but Odessa kept her alluring mask on, continuing to drop up and down to the beat without missing a step.

 

It wasn’t a regular occurrence for Odessa’s warm-up set, but the occasional man or woman would reach out to touch what they couldn’t have. And when it did happen, the Den made sure to let them know they were not welcome back.

 

Odessa kept an extra eye on the boy as he was heaved to the exit as she continued but when the outro started, her complete focus snapped back to her cheering audience. Rihanna finished the song off with a final  _ Bitch Better Have My Money! _ and the crowd went wild. The girls stood up together, pivoted, and sashayed off. 

 

Odessa didn’t bother to look back. The boy was long gone… and she had a long night of her own to worry about.


	2. a hostile & informal meeting

“Attention all faculty and student body of Southside High. Effective of next week, Southside High will be shut down and quarantined immediately due to asbestos. Relocation notices will be posted by the main office. That is all.”

 

It was a scene out of a movie in the hallway. 

 

Papers flying everywhere, kids running to check where they were relocating, the sound of laughter ringing in everyone’s ears. Odessa couldn’t help laughing herself at Fangs and Sweet Pea’s antics as they wreaked havoc with their friends, cheering for their newfound freedom. 

 

Freedom from this rotten hell hole once and for all.

 

Odessa could hardly believe it.

 

“C’mon Dessa!” Fangs yelled as he scooped her up in his arms. “Let’s go see what school is the lucky winner of our ragtag bunch, huh?”

 

“Fangs, put me down!” Odessa shrieked as he thundered down the hall, Sweet Pea clearing a path for “safety purposes”.

 

The relocation notices were plentiful at the main office, but that wouldn’t stop the mobs surrounding the flimsy pages. But Odessa had to hand it to Ms. Flynn, the ancient secretary who barely left her desk chair. Not even the promise of an early retirement for her would force her to walk more than six feet from her desk.

 

Anxiously biting her lip, Odessa scanned the list over Fangs’ head, finding her name amongst friends to be shipped to… Riverdale High.

 

Her stomach dropped to the floor. Riverdale High: where Northside expectations were sky high, where appearance was everything, where they were  _ hated _ . Some trade- a hell hole for Satan’s bed chambers. They wouldn’t last two seconds. Odessa didn’t expect to dropout of high school so soon but- 

 

Fangs seemed to recognize Odessa’s glaring panic and let her down. He turned her around, forcing her to look at him. 

 

“Hey,” his kind eyes twinkling.

 

“Hey.”

 

“We’re going to be okay.”

 

“You sure about that?”

 

“Definitely. Okay?”

 

A deep breath. “Okay.”

 

Sweet Pea reached over to ruffle her hair. “C’mon, let’s go tell Topaz and Jones.”

 

~

 

Taking one look at the simple blue dress that Odessa picked out the night before and decided a change was in order. If she was really going to the Land of the Preps, she might as well go as herself.

 

Grabbing a lavender top and a pair of ripped, black jeans, she headed to the bathroom barefoot to get ready. 

 

With a little bit of show makeup Mallory had made her pocket early on in their friendship and the bags under her eyes slowly disappearing into nothingness,  Odessa felt better a little bit better. 

 

After some extra layers of gloss and the taming of her hair, it was just like any other day.

 

But a sharp, impatient knock on her bedroom door brought Odessa back from Cloud Nine and back to reality.

 

“Let’s go Odessa!” Toni called out, “I’m not arriving late on the first day!”

 

“Yeah, yeah. I’m coming.” Odessa huffed, grabbing her Serpent jacket. Toni waltzing into her home unannounced was nothing special, but her timeliness today was a surprise.

 

Toni whistled as she opened the door, taking a long look at her friend’s outfit. “Statements to be made, my dear Dessa?”

 

“Shove off, Topaz.” Odessa grinned.

 

“Alright, alright. Let’s go rattle some cages.”

 

Setting down the hallway and humming to herself, Toni skipped down the hallway, leaving Odessa by herself. 

 

She counted to ten as Toni disappeared, then quickly side-stepped her way to the master bedroom at the end of the hall.

 

Not bothering to knock, Odessa cracked open the door, allowing the smallest sliver of light to shine in on the sleeping figure of her mother.

 

Adelaide was snoring softly. It seemed that Toni’s wake up call had not fully succeeded but that was fine with Odessa. She didn’t need her mother to start fussing now.

 

Adelaide Smith had been the usual shell for the past two weeks, bursting into tears at the sight of Odessa and anything else. Odessa knew the “bounce back” would happen soon- but for once, Odessa didn’t need her mother to be over her shoulder. Today was not a day to be reminded of everything Odessa had lost and wouldn’t never get back.

 

Whispering a soft “I love you”, Odessa closed the door and met Toni at the bikes.

 

They pulled out of Sunnyside with a guttural roar, ready to take on the beasts of the North.

 

~

 

“We encourage each and every one of you to drink deeply from the cup that is fair Riverdale.” Veronica Lodge recited with a welcoming smile.

 

Before Odessa could even roll her eyes at Little Miss Lodge’s welcoming speech, a lofty voice from the stairs commanded the scene below.

 

“Stand down, Eva Peron,” a girl in all red snarked, behind her a group of followers.

 

Odessa felt Fangs suddenly tense next to her. “What’s up?” she asked, keeping a close eye on the new crowd.

 

“Guy next to her was apart of Andrews’ crew that night. Reggie Mantle,” he whispered back.

 

Odessa’s gaze snapped to Mantle. She couldn’t deny his good looks- he was tall and chiseled, a true “jock god” but she couldn’t get past the prideful smirk on his face. What on earth gave him the right to act like he was a gift?

 

“Think I could take him?” Odessa whispered as Lodge tried to sort out Cheryl.

 

“Definitely,” Fangs grinned. 

 

“Listen up, ragamuffins. I will not allow Riverdale High’s above average GPA to suffer because of classrooms that are overcrowded with underachievers.” Cheryl decreed. “So please, do us all a favor, and find some other school to debase with your hardscrabble ways.”

 

Toni, thankfully, stepped up to the challenge, Odessa and the cavalry right behind her. “Why don’t you come over here and say that to my face?”

 

As Cheryl replied with another retort, Odessa felt someone staring at her. Mantle was eyeing her. 

 

It was strange- Odessa couldn’t quite tell what kind of look he was giving her. It was a mix of hatred and something that she normally spied at the Den. She shifted her weight and stared right back. The stare down seemed to leave Mantle a bit bewildered, so Odessa quickly broke eye contact to let the muscle try to figure out what just happened, listening to Archie Andrews, of all people, attempt to keep the peace.

 

“A new slate?”

 

The offer sounded tempting to Odessa but she could feel the blood boiling in the small hallway. This wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

 

“Mm. You don’t speak for the Bulldogs, Andrews. And need I remind you, but these greaser-snakes showed up at you place trying to kick you ass.” Reggie piped up, clearly trying to shake off Odessa’s glare.

 

“Happy to finish what was started.” Sweet Pea surged forward, making Fangs and Odessa jump into action and attempt to reel their friend back in.

 

“God, I am so over this toxic masculinity in this hallway right now.” Veronica let out and Odessa had to scoff at that. Lodge did a double take to Odessa and before she could continue to spew her “Kumbaya” nonsense, Weatherbee finally intervened.

 

“All right. That’s enough pomp and circumstance. Everyone let’s get to class.” He waited a moment to seal the deal and sent everyone scurrying. “Now.”

 

Jughead led the charge into the school, the rest following behind him. As she past, Odessa locked eyes with Reggie again. For a moment, something stilled inside her.

 

His face seemed angry, but his eyes were conflicted. He opened his mouth to say something, probably some snark comment but the bell rang and Odessa tore her eyes away.

 

~

 

Odessa was decidedly lost.

 

The complementary map given out by Veronica was proving to be utterly useless. The bell had rung five minutes ago Odessa still couldn’t locate her History class. She had past almost every single classroom except her own- it didn’t help that every single hall was practically identical.

 

“ _ Room 230, Room 230. Where are you? _ ” Odessa chanted in her head as she went down another hall.

 

“ _ Room 226… Room 228… Room 230! _ ”

 

Thanking above, Odessa frantically opened the door, where twenty-four eyes snapped to attention.

 

Her outfit felt too tight all of a sudden, too revealing, too  _ Southside _ . She scanned the room quickly and found the equally tired face of Jughead, gratefully, as the class took a long look of their own at the new and unwelcomed arrival.

 

“Name.” A stern throat cleared, snapping Odessa’s focus to a petite woman with ‘no nonsense’ written all over.

 

“Odessa Smith. I’m sorry I’m late, this school is-”

 

“Miss Smith, you’ll find I, Mrs. Haggly in my five years of teaching, am not one for excuses or tardiness. I think you should find a seat quickly before you find yourself in after school detention.”

 

With a single pointed look and a few choice words, Mrs. Haggly had established quite clearly to Odessa that even the faculty was unwilling to take on the bastard children of the Southside. Jones was right. The charms of Riverdale High were indeed a venomous kind.

 

“Miss Smith.”

 

And Odessa was still standing at the front of the class like an idiot.

 

Awkwardly clearing her throat, Odessa beelined to the last empty partner seat which was situated in the neutral middle. She didn’t bother to glance at the “unlucky” soul next to her. She didn’t need another glare sent her way.

 

But it seemed that her partner wouldn’t allow themself to be within three feet of her.

 

“Mrs. Haggly? Cheryl’s not here yet and she usually sits next to me.”

 

Odessa’s blood ran cold and she turned to find Reggie Mantle sitting right next to her, hand carelessly in the air. He winked at her and she felt a flush of anger restart her systems. It seemed that he had gotten over their little “thing” in the hallway. It was so on.

 

But Mrs. Haggly would have none of it. “That seems to be Miss Blossom’s problem and not yours Mr. Mantle, so I suggest you make do with your new partner, Miss Smith.”

 

“But-”

 

“No buts or I shall find a way to talk to Coach Clayton about rescheduling your practice time with some personal one-on-one time with me.”

 

Reggie seemed to deflate after that last comment and Odessa took it as a personal victory. He stole a glance back at Odessa, who mockingly winked back. As Mrs. Haggly started the lesson, Odessa leaned over, deciding to have a little bit of fun.

 

“I look forward to working with you,” she whispered in his ear. “Partner.”

 

She leaned back and smiled as Reggie look back at her with disgust.

 

“ _ Maybe this wouldn’t be so terrible after all _ ,” Odessa thought to herself. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait~ shit's been happening... hopefully i'll commit ;)  
> find me @spam-to-follow on tumblr or @imagines-are-us for my writing


End file.
